A Holiday in Resembool
by Kamahontas
Summary: Okay, I know it's not said in the Manga nor Anime that in the world of FMA they celebrate Christmas, but I guess they could have a holiday similar to our Christmas? At least in this story they have. Hope you'll like it.


The snow was everywhere around Resembool, it was so deep that even school was closed for last two days. It was already the middle of December, and everyone was pretty busy with decorating their houses and cooking many different kinds of special dishes. Nobody really remember why, but since unmemorable times at this time of a year all Amestris was celebrating a Holiday. Even though it was still three days to this Holiday, everyone at home were doing everything in a big rush. Everyone, but Edward Elric, who didn't care at all. Since he was a still a boy, nobody in his family was celebrating. Mother had no intention of doing anything special for this day, so in Elric family it was just another day. But, not here. Not at Rockbell family. Here everyone was waiting for this Holiday for all year long. Nobody really remembered its name, it was always called a Holiday. This was already annoying Edward. Winry, her grandmother and even Al, who came to Resembool few days ago, were preparing everything making the house upside-down. Loosing of time, thought the older brother.

"Hey, I'm going for a walk. I'll be back in maybe an hour." He said closing the main door behind him. He didn't even make a single step when an axe flew only an inch away from his head to land in the snow, two yards in front of Ed.

"If you have to go outside, be useful and bring a big nice tree." He heard Winry calling from the hall.

"A tree? What tree? A maple, pine-tree or…"

"Don't play a fool, you know what kind. You never celebrated the Holiday?"

"You know I didn't. Mum never did anything for this day, well since Hohenheim left. Before maybe she did, I don't remember."

"You could call him your father at least once."

"Well, I'll bring you this tree." As usual when someone was making any remark about him calling Hohenheim his father, Edward left. He took the axe and walked down the narrow path leading to the main crossroad in Resembool. If Winry wants a tree, okay, he can get it, but still this Holiday was a total waste of time. It's a day like any other. What is so special about it? And who ever created this stupid tradition? This was a question that was on his mind for last few days, since this whole mess at home started. Well, it was useless to ask Granny Pinako, or anyone from the elders in the village, even they didn't remember why they celebrate this day. Nobody was old enough to remember the reason, the only one who could know would have to be a homunculus to live long enough to remember what happened on the day of upcoming Holiday. Stupid Holiday, he thought. Not only nobody knew why they were celebrating, but everyone was getting nuts! For all his life long, or at least since he could remember he never did anything special for this day, and he'd prefer it to last till the end of his existence. But, he couldn't help it, now he was a part of Rockbell family, so he had to make a dumb of himself and drag this huge tree from the forest to their house. It was extremely heavy, and cutting it was even worse. If he only could use alchemy… This was a nice time, everything was way easier.

'Oh, right, if I wouldn't give this away, Al would never be back…' Only this memory kept him from cursing his decision. Wanting it or not, Ed slowly walked back home, drugging the tree behind him. As he finally was back, he entered the kitchen, where the happy voices of all family were coming from.

"Hey, I have this tree for ya." He said sitting on a chair next to a stove. "Oh, how nice it is to sit so close to this warm stove… I could've spend the rest of the day here."

"You don't have time for that. Bring the tree to the living room and decorate it with the stuff from the boxes that are on the sofa. Oh, and we have no flour left, so you have to go to the shop." Ordered Winry, not even looking at him from above the table on which she was forming small ginger cookies.

"Anything else?" He asked irritated.

"Mhm, I also could get a big turkey for our Holiday dinner."

"Mmhm, something more, Winry? Cause I won't be running in this deep snow for all day long, only to fulfill your stupid wishes. Who ever created this Holiday?"

"Stop this complaining! It's the time of joy! You could at least try to enjoy it."

He smiled a bit.

"If this is to make ya feel better…"

"Thanks." She replied with a bright smile.

At last he could just sit in his room and do nothing. After he brought everything that was needed, Winry finally let him go. This was totally crazy, everyone was busy and totally absorbed with preparing, even Mai Chan, who never even heard about Holiday, was excited. Was he the only person, who didn't give a damn? He was almost falling asleep when Al entered the room.

"Hey, brother."

"Hey, Al." He smiled. "You're already tired of this rush, hah?"

"Not at all. At last this day won't be just another day, but a special one. What did you get for Winry?"

"Nothing, why am I to get her anything? It's not her birthday, nor our anniversary."

Al smiled, and looked at his older brother with this protective gaze.

"It's a tradition to give presents on Holiday, you know? Remember when we were in school? We've been doing these small toys from conkers and acorns, to give them to our friends. Once you didn't want to do this, so you used alchemy to do something more extended to impress Winry."

Ed rolled his eyes. He hated when Al was right, and this time was no exception.

"Okay, so what should I get? I guess a toy from conkers isn't a good idea…"

"Hmm… maybe new earrings? It's already pretty long time since we got her the ones she wears."

"NO WAY! Have you forgot what she had done when we got her the third pair of them?"

"Well, she pierced her ears again, to put them on…"

"Exactly. And remember what she said? That she'll be wearing all of them at the same time, so if I'd get her new earrings, she'd make another two holes in her ears! That'd be way too much!"

"So, what you want to buy her?"

A devilish grin appeared on Ed's face. This could mean only one thing, he got an idea.

"You still use alchemy, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

Another notable grimace.

"Not so long ago I had a bad accident… one of the plates from my automail was broken…"

"And you survived this!"

He shrugged.

"Winry doesn't know a thing. As I was in Central, I've found someone who fixed it. But, why I'm telling you this… well, because I still have this broken piece of iron… What about a new wrench? Can you do the transmutation to turn this metal into a good tool?"

"Oh, I can try."

"Great! Then, I have this problem out of my mind. Now, what for granny Pinako?"

"Uhm… pipe tobacco?"

"Can be. And now, the most important, what you have for Mai?"

Al blushed, all his face was as red as the shirt he wore.

"What? Is it something this privet?" Edward asked suspiciously.

"Well, uhm… I… thought that… it's time…"

"Say it at last!"

"That it's time to get engaged."

The older brother began to laugh and soon he was tossing and turning on the floor. He had no idea why, but only a thought of his younger brother getting married was making him laugh.

"Oh, very funny, brother." Al got angry.

"Sorry, it's just I can't imagine you getting married."

"Why?"

"Maybe because, you will probably have your wedding sooner than me, which is unnatural, because I'm the older brother." Their conversation was interrupted by Mai's calling from downstairs.

"Ed, someone's calling you!"

"Who the hell?" He asked leaving his room and running down the stairs. "Edward Elric, how can I help you?" He said to the phone.

"Hey, Fullmetal. How is it goin'?"

"Roy? You have nothing better to do than calling me?"

"Maybe I do, but I have to tell you something."

"Mhm, yeah I know, in three days is Holiday, I know. Winry and the rest won't let me to forget."

"No, that's not that! Guess, who will be my wife within a month!"

Edward got really annoyed now. Why everyone was suddenly getting married? What was it? A new trend?

"No idea. And you know, nothing will surprise me. Even my little brother is thinking about settling down."

"I'm going to marry Riza!" For some time now, Ed noticed that Mustang was more and more similar to Hughes, at least when it was coming to a conversation of Riza Hawkeye.

"Mhm, and?" Asked Edward looking at his fingernails and then polishing them with the sleeve of his jumper.

"Aren't you happy? I'm going to spend the rest of my life with my Riza!"

"Roy, I know you're the head of Amestris now, but I have to tell you this. Shut up! You act like Maes! Gladly I'm not around you, because otherwise you'd probably show me million of her photographs. Enjoy your Holiday." With this Edward ended the call and with a laud moan he rested his back on the wall to slowly sat on the floor. "I'm surrounded by freaks." He mumbled.

"Ed, who was it?" Finally Winry went out of the kitchen.

"Our president, who's going insane. He called me only to say that he and Riza, I mean Colonel Hawkeye, are getting married within a month. Like I'd care…"

The girl smiled.

"He's your friend, it's nice of him that he called you to express his joy."

"Maybe, but he's annoying. He's just like General Hughes. I mean, he can just call me to talk about his girlfriend. Am I calling him to tell him what I'm doing with you? No!"

Winry laughed. True, Edward never talked to anyone about his relationship with her, but she didn't mind. She knew that they will be together forever, and this was enough for her. Everyone could see that they're happy together, they didn't have to say it.

"So, are you done with decorating the tree?"

"Nope." He shook his head. "I even didn't start yet."

"Great! Then, we can do it together." She replied with a smile. "Ed, I'm sorry if I was harsh on you today. It's just there is so small time to Holiday and we're not even in the middle of preparing."

It wasn't too often when he was doing so, but he held her as they were walking to the living room.

"It's okay. I guess I should be more helpful. Al is doing everything you want him to, for all day long, and he doesn't even complain, and when I had to go and get a tree I was annoyed."

"You don't like the Holiday, do you?"

"I hate it. It was always the worst day of the year. Mum was sadly sitting in Hohenheim's room, staring at the old photograph of the four of us. It was a day, when we couldn't go outside to play or if we could, we had to be home soon. When Al was still little I wanted to understand why mum is so sad on this day, so I came to see you, remember?"

"Yeah. It was the last Holiday I spent with my parents..."

"Mhm, I know. But, on the very next year, you've been celebrating it again."

"Of course I did. Granny would never allow me to lose this day only because I'm only with her."

"What is it about this day that could make my mother so down?"

"Maybe you'll get an answer in this book?" To the couple joined the grandmother. "Check, maybe you'll find the answer."

Edward smiled.

"Arigato." He put the book aside and took a huge box from the sofa to put it closer to the tree that was placed in the middle of the room. "So, what you put on it first?"

"The bubbles, then these colorful chains and at the end candles to make it even more shining. But, remember on every single twig you have to put one candle."

"Hope you'll help me?"

"Of course! This is my favorite part of preparing for Holiday!"

It was late night when they were done with all the decoration, but they weren't tired, at least not Ed and Winry. Al got lost somewhere with Mai and Pinako was still doing something in the kitchen. The couple was sitting in the living room, looking at their creation.

"So, maybe let's read this book, granny gave you?" Proposed the girl.

"Okay. Maybe at last I will understand why we celebrate this day so much…" He replied with a smile and took the book. The title page he skipped as soon as he saw it, but then he began to read a clear handwrite.

_The day of 24__th__ December is the most wonderful day during all the year. Whole family should be together to celebrate the birthday of God. This should be remembered through all the generations, until the end of the time. For someone who will read this in few hundred years from now. Please, keep this in your memory that you should celebrate this holy day with your family. Never be alone on this day. This should be also a holiday of family, because this once in the year you all meet at one table to have a dinner together. Every conflict should be ended by this day, everyone, even if on the next day this will be your enemy, greet him on Holiday and make him a place at your table, so nobody will be alone. This is a night of miracles. Express your feelings, tell the ones you love what you feel and how important they are for you. Let all the earth sing this song of happiness – Joy to the World!_

"Now I get it." Edward said silently, again holding Winry. "After this shitty excuse of a father left, we weren't a full family. That's why mum never wanted to celebrate the Holiday. He was somewhere, but not with us, so she decided to never do anything for this day anymore."

"And she was sad, because on Holiday you weren't together with your father."

"Yeah, but I don't understand this. We still were family. We were with her… Was she missing Hohenheim so much that even we couldn't be enough for her? We were, we are her family!"

Winry smiled. In a way Ed was right. The fact that Hohenheim left his family, didn't mean that Ed and Al stopped being Trisha's family. She should follow the tradition, if not for her, she should do it for boys.

"Well, I can only promise you that we will be celebrating the Holiday every year, no matter what."

Ed smiled gratefully.

"Hope that next time I'll be more useful… I'm sorry that I was so angry about all this preparing, it's just I didn't understand why it's so important for you."

On Holiday Edward got up even earlier than anyone at home. Before every one will get up and the whole mess will begin once again, he wanted to go for a walk and enjoy the cold and snowy morning. He got dressed and went out the house. The sun was just razing over the nearby hills, the sky had a color between yellow and orange. Ed breathed the frosty air. Yeah, the winter smells like this only here, in Resembool. He smiled, for all these years when he was away, on his search for the Philosopher's Stone, Ed never realized how much he missed this place. And suddenly a bright thought came across his mind, so he began to run to a very special place, but he did maybe ten steps, when he heard Winry calling him from the behind.

"Up so early?" She asked as she was by him.

"I couldn't sleep anymore, so to not make too much noise I decided to go for a walk."

She smiled at him.

"You want to be on your own, or can I go with you?"

"Today nobody wants to be alone." He replied returning her smile.

"What a change!" Winry seemed to be very happy about this. "Only yesterday you hated the Holiday and today?"

"I understood few things when we read this book that Granny gave us. Right now, I'm just more angry with Hohenheim, that's all."

"If we're speaking of this book, something's on my mind… As you opened it, you skipped the title page in a big rush, why?"

Edward frowned.

"There was the name of the author of this script. Van Hohenheim."

Winry made huge eyes.

"Your father wrote this paragraph about how important it is to be with whole family on the Holiday?"

"Mhm, exactly. Damn hypocrite!" Edward replied sadly. "Winry?"

"What is it?"

"Even though, Hohenheim, in a biological sense, is my father, I won't act like him. I can't imagine that I could ever leave you and never be back. I'm sick even when I'm going to Central for two days!"

Winry laughed happily. True, the only similarity between Edward and his father was their appearance, both had bright hair and golden eyes. But, their personalities were totally opposite.

"I know, don't worry. We'll be together no matter what."

He hugged her. It wasn't often when he was doing so, but for last few days he felt like being so close to her more and more often. With time he was more used to the fact that soon they will be married, so he could express his feelings for her.

"Glad you know that." He said still holding Winry. "I'm glad you're here with me."

She smiled in replay. At last Edward was expressing his feelings openly.

"There's one more thing I'd like to ask you… What you'd say for a new house?"

"New house? What's wrong with the one we own?"

"Nothing, it's just… uhm… I just thought that maybe I could try to rebuild the house of my mother… I know, it was smaller than yours, but… I want to build it anyway. It'd be only ours."

"What about Granny? You want her to live in this huge house on her own?" Winry didn't like the idea. "Plus, my whole workshop is too big to move it to another house!"

"Well, workshop is a workshop, you can have it where you do now. But, just think of that… Only the two of us at home, long nights…" As he thought of it, a small drop of blood flowed down his face. That caused Winry to laugh loudly.

"You're nose-bleeding!" She said still not able to stop the laughter. "Better don't think of a new house for now, I see it's dangerous for you." She added as she cleaned the blood from his face with a small snowball.

"Alright, alright, I'd better really stop thinking of it, because otherwise you'll strike me with your wrench again. Come, on, let's go back home. I guess everybody's up already."

Since they were back from the walk Edward was acting like he was a different man. He was in a great mood, and was willing to help with everything possible. Even his own brother had less power than him.

"Brother, what happened to you?" Asked Al, as he joined Ed in the living room when the older brother was doing the table. "You're not Envy in Edward's skin, are you?"

Fullmetal laughed loudly.

"Have you forgot, Envy's dead! Of course it's me!" He grinned. "I hoped you'll like my change of heart, but you're making jokes of me!"

"It's just you're changed so much…"

"Read the book that Granny gave us last night, you'll understand. Oh, but skip the title page. Now, could you hand me these plates?" He asked pointing a big basked filled with all kinds of dishes that Al could name. Within a minutes Edward was done with the table. "Thanks. So, I guess it's time for realization of our plan. It's a surprise, so let's do it like that… Go to my room and do this wrench and I'll go to call Roy. They will pay more attention to my bullshit than to where you are, so you'll have time to created something from almost nothing." The plan was good, but since when Ed was disobeying the rule of Equal Exchange? Something from nothing? But, Al didn't say anything. He was glad to see his older brother in such a good mood. The younger brother ran up the stairs to do what Ed asked him to, and Edward went to the office to make a call.

"I'd like to talk to General Roy Mustang." Began Edward. "Is he at his office?"

"I am not permitted to connect with outside numbers." He heard the voice on the other site.

"It's 6-20-12-12-13-5-19-1-12. Check this." He hated to make calls from phones that were not belonging to the army. "So, what now?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir. Of course, I'm connecting."

"At last." A second later he heard annoyed voice of Mustang.

"Fullmetal, what a surprise! Have you called me to ask about Riza? She's doing great, she's next to me."

"Or rather, he wanted to say, sitting on the opposite site of his desk, doing his papers!" Colonel Hawkeye corrected her husband-to-be. "Give me that damn phone, Roy! Hi, Ed. How are you?"

"Uhm… Fine, thanks. Just calling to wish you two Happy Holiday… But, why on earth, you're working on Holiday morning?"

"If I wouldn't work, the General would never be done with all his documents. I'm almost done, so I guess we should have enough time to do something for tonight."

"Oh, okay, so I'm not disturbing you anymore…" Said Ed, and wanted to end the call, but he heard Roy taking the phone from Colonel.

"That's my all Riza. Always overprotective…" Again this crazy dreamy voice of Mustang. "And it's my first Holiday with her. Isn't it wonderful?"

"Well... Spending this day with the ones you love is the main sense of this whole Holiday… Anyway, enjoy it and have fun. I'm going back to my duties before I'll have another wrench in my forehead." With that he finally ended the call. "Damn, our president is going nuts again… Poor Amestris…"

"It's nice of you that you called Roy." Winry came out from behind the wall separating the hall and the office. "How is he? I bet he's excited about spending this evening with his wife-to-be…"

"He's nuts. Well, I also noticed that Colonel is more and more similar to him, but at least she didn't lose her typical cynics."

"This is called romantics, Edward. In fact you could learn from Roy."

"Oh, really? Then you want to have a freak instead of a man?" He laughed. "Well, then I think I have to go out and yell that we're engaged so the whole Resembool will hear? It's not romantics, it's called insanity."

"Are you two going to argue for the rest of the afternoon, or you will help me?" They were cut off by Pinako.

"Uhm, sure, we can help. What's to do, Granny?" Asked Ed glad that he was saved from upcoming fight.

"You could bring some more wood, I have hardly any blocks and I still have a cake to bake."

"Oh, okay." He said and went out the house. He was about to go back with the wood, when he saw two figures coming closer to the house. "Who's this time…?" He asked himself. He didn't have to wait for an answer two long, a hard wooden flip-flap smashed him straight into face. He knew this shoe all too well. "Hey! That's how you greet everyone!" He yelled. "What if it'd be Winry or Granny Pinako? Have you gone insane, Sensei?"

"Pfff, from the crossroad I knew it was you outside. So, you didn't think of calling your teacher for the Holiday, did ya?" Asked Izumi, as she was next to Edward.

"You don't celebrate it, so why was I to call you?" He yelled.

"Sig, darling, keep me from hitting him once again!"

"Izumi, calm down." Said the husband.

"Okay, okay, don't get so angry with me. I'm sorry, next time I'll remember to call you." Replied Ed seeing the thunders that teacher's eyes were throwing. "And, now… maybe you will go in? Everyone's getting crazy because of the Holiday, but I'm sure they will be as glad to see you as I am…" To avoid another strong hit Ed tried to be polite, even though he still wasn't this happy about this whole celebration. Of course, in front of Winry and the rest of the family he pretended to be as enthusiastic as he only could, but inside he was still rather skeptic. Not about the fact that he can enjoy the time with his family, but the fact that everyone was working wiry just to have one official dinner. But, he couldn't help it. As the three of them entered the hall, they were greeted by Winry.

"Oh, Izumi-san! Sig-san! Glad you came. Did you have a good trip?"

Edward was shocked. Did everyone know that Sensei will come?

"It wasn't bad, but Edward could remark his friend that the trains are very uncomfortable."

"Who?"

"Isn't General Mustang a friend of yours? He decides about everything in this country, remember?"

"Alphonse!" Ed hoped that his brother will come down to keep his site, but instead of that he only heard Al replying that he's kinda busy. "Izumi-Sensei had came!" Ed tried another reason.

"I know, brother! I'll be down in a while!"

Ed got even more astonished.

"So, you all knew that Sensei is coming?"

"Of course they did, you idiot! You think I would come here without warning you?"

He nodded.

"As usual. But, I'm glad you're here, teacher."

The evening had finally came, and everyone gathered in the living room, which for today turned to be a dining room. And with every minute spent with his family and friends Edward was more and more enjoying this evening. He didn't understand what's so special about this day, until he felt the atmosphere of it. He was with everyone who was important to him, well almost everybody. Winry, his brother with Mai Chan, Granny Pinako and his crazy and cynic teacher with her husband. In the corner of the room lied Den, waiting for his ration. Edward smiled at this.

"Winry, is that what all this day is about?" He asked.

"Mhm, yeah. It's a day when you can be with all your family together to share the joy of this day. Well, I know not everyone is here, but…"

"Not everyone? Come on, you're here, Granny, Al, Mai, Sensei and Sig, who else should be here?"

Someone knocked to the door.

"Is it my answer?" He asked rolling his eyes.

"I bet so, Ed." Replied Winry and went to open the door. "Yes, this is your answer." She called from the hall.

"Happy Holiday to everyone!" With this joyful cheer to the living room entered Roy Mustang with Riza Hawkeye and just behind them was Black Hayate.

"Happy Holiday." Replied the family.

Edward looked at the couple surprised.

"Hey, weren't you in Central in the morning? Getting here takes over twelve hours!"

"We have new agents, they're great at imitating voices. We left the Central City yesterday at night." Explained Riza.

"So, they are just perfect. They even made an arguing like you always do."

The new-came-visitors grinned.

"True, they're very well."

The rest of the evening and half of the night passed on talking, joking and opening the presents. Winry screamed with joy as she unpacked the new wrench. Ed didn't tell her, of course, that this tool was made of a broken part of his automail, otherwise this tool would be used on his head. As everyone was finally tired after long day, Edward knocked on the door of Winry's room.

"What is it, Edward?" Asked the girl as she opened her room.

"Uhm… I just… uhm…"

"What?"

He sighed deeply.

"Thanks, Winry. Thank you for showing me the real meaning of the Holiday."

"You're welcome." She went out of her chamber and closed the door behind her. "Riza is changing, so let's talk here. "I'm glad you had fun tonight."

"Hope you did too. And I promise that the next Holiday will be even better." He said an kissed gently. "Good-night. Happy Holiday, Winry." With this said he slowly went to his room. As he entered it, the snoring of Roy greeted him. Ed lie down on the matt and tried to fall asleep, but the events of tonight didn't let him to. So, that's how every year it will look like? Not bad as for him. Enjoying the time spent with his family was something he never even thought he might experience again. It was the very first time since Trisha's death that he could say he was with his whole family. Hohenheim was right, this day is good and full of joy only when you spend it with the ones you love. With family and closest friends. And next year, he will remember that and enjoy every single moment of the Holiday.


End file.
